Josef zeevas



(No Model.)

J. ZERVAS.

SURGICAL BELT. No. 368,699. Patented Aug. 23, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OSEF ZERVAS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SURGICAL BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,699, dated August23. 7.

Application filed May 13, 1887. Serial No. 238,038. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osEF ZERvAs, of the city of New York, county andState of New York, have invented a new and Improved Surgical Belt, ofwhich the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a surgical belt designed to be applied topatients suffering from lateral curvatures of the spine and diseasesresulting therefrom. Heretofore curvatures of the spine were generallyattempted to be cured by stretching devices, which, however, did notpermit the patient to regulate and control the amount of strain. By myinvention the patient may readily regulate and adjust the strain, andthus an overstraining of the parts will be prevented.

The invention consists in the various features of improvement more fullypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aback view of the belt,showing it applied around the waist and in proper adjustment for use.Fig. 2shows a detail view of the belt distended;

The letter a represents a belt made of leather or other material andadapted to be joined at the ends by means of abuckle, b, or otherwise.The belt is slitted at each side to produce a number of parallel straps,0. These straps c are interwoven with slitted straps cl, which hangdownward from belt a. By means of this construction the straps d may beshifted backward or forward to a greater or less degree, so as to bebrought properly under the arms when the belt is applied. This mode ofcausing an adjustment of the straps d, I deem preferable, because thestraps d are never per manently disconnected from belt a, and becausethe joint is made without undue projections that might hurt the patient;but other modes of connecting the parts a d will readily suggestthemselves. Each strap (1 is passed at its lower end through aperforated ball, 6, constituting a handle. The balls may he slipped upor down along the straps d, and may be locked at any desired elevationby means of conical plugs f entering the lower months or openings in theballs.

The operation of the device'is follows: The belt is buckled around thewaist and the straps d are brought under the arms. The balls 6 are nowadjusted so as to bring that ball which is at the side of the spinecurvature higher than the other ball, as shown in Fig. l. The patientnow presses upon the balls, so as to cause a gradual straightening ofthe back, at the same time respiring slowly and regularly. The operationshould be continued two, three, or four times a day,and should last fromfifteen to thirty minutes.

What I claim is 1. The combination of belt a with thelaterally-adjustable straps 61, having verticallyadjustable handles 0,substantially as specified.

2. The combination of belt a, slitted to form straps c, with the slittedinterwoven. straps d, having handles 6, substantially as specified.

JOSEF ZERVAS.

Witnesses:

F. v. Bnrnsnn, HENRY E. ROEDER.

